Signal clip



Jan 5, 1965 R. T. MATEL ETAL 3,164,126

SIGNAL CLIP Filed March 22, 1963 United States Patent Oilice Patented Jan. 5, 1965 3,164,126 SIGNAL CLIP Richard T. Matel, Clayton H. Vander Meer, and William R. Allen, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignors to The Rapids- Standard Company, Inc., Grand Rapids, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Mar. 22, 1963, Ser. No. 267,119

2 Claims. (Cl. 116-114) This invention concerns code setting devices, and more particularly signal clips for setting up a destination code by positioning reliectors on tray-like objects being conveyed over a multi-path conveyor in such a manner that diverter actuators along the conveyor are operated by photoelectric sensors whenever an object passes by them which carries a signal clip having a reflector in a position Where it can reflect light from a light source in the sensor onto a photocell in the sensor.

With the increasing use of automatic routing devices on complex conveyor systems, there has been an increasing need for a simple, inexpensive routing code setting means that can readily be attached to standard-sized trays or tote boxes circulating on the conveyor, have low tolerance requirements, and be quickly and accurately set for any desired routing even by inexperienced operators.

The present invention lills this need by providing sturdy, inexpensive signal clips, preferably color-coded for ease of recognition, which canbe readily clipped to the trays in various positions and which are provided with one or more legs which carry reflective material on their outside at one or more levels. By using clips having their recctive material at dilerent levels, the reflectvie material can be brought to dilierent levels with respect to the tray, so that only sensors having their photocell and light source at the proper level will respond to the reflection as the tray passes by. In addition, combinations of several bands of reflective material on a single leg, or of bands on a plurality of clips or `legs spaced lengthwise by a predetermined amount can be used to multiply the number of possible destination code combinations.

It is consequently the object of the invention to provide a simple, inexpensive, quickly attachable and removable routing code setter for conveyed objects which is not subject to close tolerances.

This and other objects of the invention will become apparent from a perusal of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the signal clip of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an end elevation of the clip of FIG. 1, also showing the relation of the clip to the tote box and sensor;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the operation of the device as a tray is being conveyed past a sensor;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of an alternative embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a side elevation showing the disposition of a plurality of clips on a single tote box.

Basically, the invention is concerned with the rapid setting of the height of a reilector with respect to the bottom of the tray or tote box, which in turn rests on the conveyor surface as the tray is being conveyed. Because of the comparatively large size of the reliector and the relatively wide beam angle with which a device of this type can operate, very low tolerances are required in the manufacture and use of the device. Particularly, the lateral position of the tray on the conveyor is practically immaterial, and even the height variation that might result from a small amount of vibration does not affect the operability of the device.

By combining two or more clips or legs, and making the sensor responsive only to simultaneous illumination of all its photosensitive elements, the sensor can be made responsive to both the height of the individual rellectors and their mutual horizontal spacing. This, of course, vastly increases the number of code combinations obtainable by the use of the device.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. l shows a signal clip 10 according to this invention. The clip 10 may be manufactured of any suitable material such as plastic and comprises a handle 12, a clip portion 14, and a leg 16. The clip portion 14 is resilient and serves, as best shown in FIG. 2, to hold the clip 10 rmly on the wall 18 of the tote box or tray 20. The crotch 22 of the clip 10 engages the rim 24 of the Wall 18 and thus determines the vertical position of the clip 10 with respect to the tote box 2t) and consequently with respect to the conveyor 26. The leg 15 of the clip 10 has a depression 28 formed near its lower end, and a strip 30 of reflective tape or other like rellective material is attached to the clip 10 in the depression 28, which protects the reective surface from mechanical damage during handling of the clip.

As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the conveyor 26 is equipped, upstream of each destination station, with a sensor generally designated as 32 which may be vertically adjustably mounted by attachment means 34 on a bracket 36 attached to the conveyor 26. It will be understood, of course, that the sensor 32 may be xed, or that it may be made adjustable by other means than those shown. Also the sensor 32 may include several vertically and/ or horizontally spaced light-source-and-photocell assemblies connected in series so as to respond to patterns composed of a plurality of reilective strips as hereinafter described. The sensor 32 comprises a light source 38 and a photocell 40 arranged to trigger a diversion mechanism on the conveyor in any well-known manner. The lightV path 42 between the light source 38 and the photocell 40 is established by reflection of the light beam from the light source 38 by the reflective surface 30 on clip 10 whenever a clip having its reflective surface 30 at the proper height passes by the sensor 32.

In order to readily enable an operator to distinguish one clip from another, it is advantageous to color code the clips by making them from colored pastic so that a particular color corresponds to a particular level of attachment of the reective surface 30.

Modification The number of combinations possible with the clips of this invention can be greatly increased by providing several sensors connected in series at each take-off and providing the clips with two or more reflective surfaces or even two or more legs, such as shown in FIG. 4. It will be understood that in such a case, the diversion circuit is not triggered unless all of the sensors at a given position are simultaneously energized by a passing clip.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 5, more than one clip may be used on a single tote box. In this case, however, simultaneous illumination of the sensors requires that the clips be arranged at a specific spacing from one another, which can be achieved for example by placing markers 44 on the side of the box to indicate the exact positions at which the clips must be placed.

OperationA The operation of the device of this invention is simple. For example, if it be desired that the tray 10 be selectively ejectable at any of, say, live take-offs, the sensor 32 operating the irst take-off might be set one inch below the rim 24 of tray 20, the sensor 32 at the second take-off two inches, at the third take-oli three inches, and so forth. Then, if it is desired to eject the tray at the third take-olf, a clip with a reective band three inches below the crotch 22 is clipped onto the side of the tray. As the tray 20 passes by the -various Sensors 32, the'rst sensor would not respond because the reiiector 3i) is too low to transfer light from the light sources to the photocell. For a like reason, the second sensor would not respond either. When the tray reaches the third sensor, however, the reector 3) is in alignment with the sensor 32, and light is reflected from light source 33 tothe photocell Ml. This reiection momentarily illuminates the photocell 40 and causes it to emit an electrical signal which can be used in any known manner to operate the take-oit mechanism.

It will be noted that in the operation just described, the sensor responds to a certain clip no matter Where on the tray it is placed. If, however, two or'more clips are used in connection with multiple-unit sensor arrangements, it will be readily apparent that the spacing of the clips lengthwise of the conveyor becomes significant in order to achieve simultaneous illumination of both photocells. This can be achieved by positioning the clips at specified points along the tray 2t? which may be indicated e.g. by markers 44, or by using clips with a plurality of legs such as shown in FIG. 4. If the outputs of the'V two photocells are connected in series, it will be seen that an impulse capable ofY actuating the take-o can occur only if both photocells are illuminated at the same time. Thus, in the example described herein, utilization of a single clip with a single reflective strip only provides tive diierent settings, whereas utilization ofseveral strips vertically and/ or horizontally displaced from Yone another for simultaneous sensingV provides enough different settings to satisfy the requirements of any practical installation. Obviously, the number `of possible combinations can be enlarged oy adding more legs or clips as necessary.

It will be readily seen that the present invention is capable of being carried out in many different ways depending on thecircumstances and requirements of any particular installation. Consequently, I do not desire to be limited by the embodiments shown, but only by the scope of the following claims.

Vie claim:

l. A signal clip for attachment to open-top-boX-like articles to route them on a conveyor, comprising: a resilient clip portion for removably attaching said signal clip to the rim of a vertical Wall of said article; a plurality of leg portions each having at least one band of light-reflective material disposed on the outside thereof at predetermined spacings from said clip portion.

2. ln combination with a box-.like article to be conveyed 4on a conveyor and having rigid side Walls and an open top: a plurality of signal clips each having a resilient clip portion for removably clipping it over the upper rim of one of said side walls; and at least one leg portion depending from said clip portion along the outside of said article, said =leg7 portion having at least one band of lightreflective material disposed thereon transversely of said leg portion; stop means on said clips cooperating with an element of said article to position said signal clips at a predetermined level with respect to said articles; and means on said article for establishing predetermined positions spaced in the direction of conveying at which said clips are to be affixed.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A SIGNAL CLIP FOR ATTACHMENT TO OPEN-TOP-BOX-LIKE ARTICLES TO ROUTE THEM ON A CONVEYOR, COMPRISING: A RESILIENT CLIP PORTION FOR REMOVABLY ATTACHING SAID SIGNAL CLIP TO THE RIM OF A VERTICAL WALL OF SAID ARTICLE; A PLURALITY OF LEG PORTIONS EACH HAVING AT LEAST ONE BAND OF LIGHT-REFLECTIVE MATERIAL DISPOSED ON THE OUTSIDE THEREOF AT PREDETERMINED SPACINGS FROM SAID CLIP PORTION. 